Triple Bowl Post

Big Chicken rears its head for the second time this bowl season, with today's first offering.

Zaxby's is a chain of southern fast food restaurants that specializes in fried chicken.  So, our second friend chicken chain sponsored bowl.  Starting to feel a theme.

Illinois vs. Louisiana Tech

Welcome back Illini, your 6-6 record returned you to the bowl picture.  Illinois got into post season play by beating Northwestern in their final game.  Hey, just think if I said you would beat Penn State, Notre Dame and Wisconsin and you'd wind up 5-7?  That was Northwestern's season and because they lost to Illinois, the Illini are in Dallas playing in the Cotton Bowl, the stadium, not the game.

Game on, with chicken strips.  I watched almost all of this game at my brother-in-law's house for our Christmas get together one day late.

This game will only be remembered for the terrible kicking from Illinois.  Their place kicker missed an extra point off one goal post and made a field goal off the other.  Give that guy 100 footballs and he can't hit both posts.  

Illinois hung around for most the game but couldn't take the lead against whatever mascot represents La Tech (Bulldogs, I think).  The game was over when Louisiana Tech's Blake Martin ran in a TD to make it a three score lead.

Louisiana Tech 35  Illinois 18

Notes

-Not the rip roaring start the Big 10 needed in bowl season.  Hats off to Illini quarterback Reilly O'Toole who took a beating but still managed to pass for 295 yards and a score.

-This game was pretty much a snooze, Illinois never looked like it had the players to beat the Conference USA runner-up. Pretty sad for the Big 10.

-Announced crowd was just under 32,000.  Not quite Heart of Dallas Bowl.


-Bowl swag:   Ogio Marshall Pack backpack; beanie; Big Game football. Not so great. Throw in a year of free Zaxby's chicken strips you tight wads.

I picked Louisiana Tech to win.  No way was I ever picking Illinois.

Next up, a trip to Detroit.

Rutgers vs. North Carolina

This used to be the only pizza sponsored bowl following Papa John's departure a few years ago from the bowl game in Birmingham.

Still at my brother in law's for the start of this one.  I'm beginning to think my wife's family thinks I'm nuts for watching every game.  I don't hide it, this thing requires my attention every holiday season - I can't help it the powers that be keep making more games.

Neither teams played much defense this season so I was expecting a high scoring game.  Pretty close, with Rutgers running the Tar Heels early and kind of hanging on.

I caught the first quarter at my BIL's house and spent most of the rest of the game driving home in NASCAR racing style traffic.  Here's the thing about the holidays.  Just because you're off, that doesn't mean the rest of the population has vacation days.  It was pretty heavy afternoon drive traffic through Dayton and Cincinnati.  Speed limits mean nothing, much like red lights in these times of carelessness and cell phones.

Rutgers had a comfy lead when the Tar Heels tried but failed to mount a comeback.  The Scarlet Nights were up 37-7 at one point and its pretty hard to come back from that deficit.

Rutgers 40  North Carolina 21

Notes

-Rutgers freshman running back Josh Hicks was the game MVP, tearing off 202 yards with a touchdown.

-The crowd wasn't any worse and probably not any better when this game featured a Big 10 also ran and the MAC.

 Hats off to anyone who made the trip from New Jersey to spend Christmas in Detroit.

-An eight win season for Rutgers in their first year in the Big 10.  Hey, better than long time members Illinois...or Indiana...or Northwestern. 

-Bowl swag:  Sweet stuff - $250 Best Buy gift card, Sony headphones and a Fathead in the likeness of each player.  I would choose me, eating fried chicken with the bowl trophy.

I picked North Carolina.  Damn you no faith in the Big 10.  Bowl picking lesson, never overlook the horrible defensive ranking of a team.  The Tar Heels ranked 119th.

Last call...

This was the Beef 'O' Brady's St. Petersburg Bowl for the past couple years,  I guess Beef and his apostrophes decided the game wasn't paying off with enough profit.  While I'm aware of Bitcoin in the news, I'm still not sure of what "bitpay" is and have yet to encounter a business that partakes.  But, this mascot, Mr. Bitcoin, certainly helps explain it all.

North Carolina State vs. Central Florida

As you might imagine, I pay more attention to some games more than others.  This game would fall unto "others' although I watched all four quarters.

Early on, the Wolfpack ran Central Florida out of Tropicana Field.  Beautiful Tropicana Field, with its patchwork turf.

Is that water coming up from the surface?  Maybe it's orange juice.  How does a baseball team play on this garbage?  Why does the NCAA or Bitcoin even want a game on this junk?  It's Florida for God's sake, play on grass.

Central Florida tried to rally late but it fell short.  Way to go Wolf Pack, you were 3-8 last year, this year 8-5. 

Notes

-Here is the "welcome" video from the sponsors of Bitcoin.  I watched it three times and I'm still not sure what it is or why or how I can or would give them my money.  They do have 88 employees though. 

-Bowl swag:  Weak - Oakley Breadbox sunglasses; Oakley Works backpack.  Give the players some Bitcoin, although I'm sure the NCAA has rules against players accepting make believe money.

My pick, North Carolina State.  I'm now 11-2 in the bowl picks.  Good night, plenty of games tomorrow.